(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to catheters and more particularly to catheter antibacteriological devices.
(2) PRIOR ART
Urinary catheterization has become common in the management of the hospitalized patient. It has however, serious risks. The urinary tract is the most common site of nosocomial infections. Urinary catheterization is a major cause of urinary tract infections. Half of the patients with catheterization bladders, found in one investigation, developed bacteriuria, within fourteen days thereof. A scruplous aseptic technique is mandatory when inserting a urinary catheter into a patient.
The most common catheterization route is via insertion of the catheter through the external meatus into the urethra, past the internal sphincter and into the bladder.
In one particular catheterization operation, such as a transurethral resection, which is useful for removal of the prostate, a three way Foley catheter is inserted into the bladder to provide hemostasis and to facilitate urinary drainage. An uninflated retention balloon is pressurized in the resected area to compress the tissue therein, and to reduce bleeding. Traction has been accomplished by adding small weight to the exposed end of the catheter.
Obviously, attaching a weight to a catheter to maintain traction, is not the most desirable approach to take. One example of a catheter fixation device attached to a medicated pad is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,968 to Marshall et al. A ventilated dome is disposed about a catheter, and a gauze strip is placed between the dome and the patient's skin where the catheter enters therethrough. The dome is held restricted to the catheter by a tape strip. This approach can further complicate the infection of the catheterized patient.
A further tube clamp with a pad is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,826 to Sessions et al. wherein a spring biased lever is movably disposed in a housing about a tube. The tube has a distal end which is inserted into a patient and configured so as to enter a blood vessel therein. A sponge and o-ring are further provided about the distal end of the surgical tube adjacent the patient, to prevent leakage thereby.
Smith Industries PLC of London, England, makes a polyfoam collar for use with balloon catheters to act as a barrier against bladder infection. This collar which is merely an annular foam pad, must be slid onto the catheter from its distalmost end before the catheter is applied to a patient. The collar also has no anti-back off features to keep it snug against a patient.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a medicated pad means for a catheter in a patient which is simple, sterile and economical to manufacture.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a medicated pad means for a catheter device for a patient, which is easily applied to the catheter and hence to the patient, is readily changeable, provides some resistance to slippage on the catheter, but yields on the catheter when the physical movement of the patient requires it.